21 Celebrities Who Were Once Cheerleaders (PHOTOS)

2, 4, 6, 8, who do we appreciate? Celebrities, apparently. We love their spirited performances in films and concerts, but long before many of today's famous faces (like Madonna, above center) were strutting stilettos on stage or the red carpet, they were shaking their pom-poms as middle school and high school cheerleaders.

Click through for 21 celebs who rah-rah-rahed for their home teams. Tell us: Which celebrity cheerleader on this list surprises you most?

Image via Seth Poppel Yearbook Library

Sandra Bullock

1

Image via Seth Poppel Yearbook Library

The 51-year-old actress cheered for Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia, and recently revealed that she still has the uniform after all of these years! "That might come in handy some sexy night," she joked, adding, "I don't know who I'm saving it for. I want to be buried in it."

Jessica Simpson

4

Image via Seth Poppel Yearbook Library

Her cheerleading career was short-lived, since Jessica Simpson dropped out of school to focus on her music career, but her time spent cheering for the football team at her Texas middle school probably came in handy years later when she dated quarterback Tony Romo.

Renee Zellweger

21

Image via Seth Poppel Yearbook Library

The actress was apparently a popular figure at her Texas high school, and her high school boyfriend has spoken fondly of her cheerleading skills, noting, "She was on the varsity cheerleading team her junior and senior year; to be a varsity cheerleader when you're not a senior is impressive."